All the latest news and resources
Keep in touch and stay up-to-date on all the news and resources we have to offer.
The 2023 Podcast Trends report is here! It’s free to download and full of new and actionable insights for podcast advertisers and publishers to help them better understand and reach their audiences. Read on for a brief overview of the full report or download it here.
–
Podcasts are a key driver of social and cultural conversations. They extend cultural discussions, start new ones, and provide connection in a world where people are seeking an alternative to headline-skimming and surface-level social media posting. People want to dive deeper and discover more about culture, the world, and themselves, so they turn to this authentic, audio-led format. It’s with this grounding in culture that we introduce the second iteration of our Podcast Trends Report.
On Spotify, our audience’s relationship with our catalog of over 5 million podcasts (including 100,000+ video podcasts) both reflects and creates culture. Since many podcasts are written and produced in near real-time on a weekly — or even daily — basis, they have their finger on the pulse of culture and drive the conversation forward. Whether it’s unearthing important stories like Stolen, commiserating with fellow moms and dads on Parenting Hell, or laughing along with comedians on El Podcast de Stand Up de Spotify, there’s a podcast for everyone.
And yet despite their scale, there is no format that builds intimacy and connection more strongly and deeply than podcasts, in large part due to its creators. Podcast hosts have become the newer and more authentic influencers. These creators foster genuine connections and trust with listeners by covering the topics and moments that matter most to them.
This authentic connection extends into advertising, too, says Emma Vaughn, Head of Advertising Business Development & Partnerships at Spotify: “By advertising in podcasts, brands can become a part of that intimate connection and engage with the audience they care about most. And by creating content around cultural moments, publishers can also connect more deeply with their audience.”
And 2023 has had no shortage of zeitgeist moments - the Barbie movie, Lionel Messi joining Inter Miami CF, and, of course, Beyoncé's Renaissance tour. Following the release of her new album in the summer of 2022, Beyoncé fans around the world eagerly awaited news of a tour. Throughout 2023, we saw anticipation build via podcast listening across Beyoncé content on Spotify with spikes in listenership following the tour announcement (February 1), the official kick-off (May 10), and the first US show (July 12).
Want to explore this and the other major moments of 2023 further? Download our full report to explore:
- The cultural moments of 2023 that made podcast listeners tune in most
- Which ad positions and content categories drove the highest conversion rates
- How podcast listenership grew across different demographics
- The content categories listeners were most engaged with
- And more!
